Gold Coast Hinterland Accommodation

Conference Catering Options

Binna Burra Mountain Lodge has been serving hearty country style meals for over 75 years with a variety of indoor and outdoor dining venues, including our Clifftop Dining Room offering the best regional and seasonal produce.

Breakfast for groups is served in the Lodge dining room. A hot and cold full buffet breakfast includes cereals, toast, pastries, fruit, yoghurt, sausages, bacon, baked beans, eggs, tomato, hash browns, mushrooms etc. Drinks include tea, coffee and juice.

Morning Tea can be served at any one of our conference facilities or in the Lodge reception. Morning tea can include tea and filtered coffee, scones with jam and cream and a fruit platter.

Lunch is a buffet style and served in the Dining Room or in your Conference Room. Please choose from our lunch menus:

• Working Lunch - tray of freshly made sandwiches with varied fillings, fruit platter and juice.
• Dining Room Lunch - a hot and cold buffet can be served in our historic, scenic Clifftop Dining Room overlooking the mountains.
• Binna Burra Lunch - Bacon frittata, spinach & feta quiche, mixed salads, fruit juice.
• Business Lunch - Marinated chicken pieces, sliced ham, mixed salads, bread rolls, fruit platter, and fruit juice.
• Packed Lunch - to have on team building days or on the go!

Afternoon Tea includes filtered coffee and assorted teas with a choice of homemade biscuits, cheese and biscuits, or vegetarian mini quiche.

Sunset Canapes served on the Coomera Terrace with cheese platters featuring a selection of Australian cheeses, nuts and dried fruits. Alternatively, choose from a range of pre-dinner hot & cold canapes.

Dinner a 3-course buffet style dinner is served in the Lodge dining room. It includes an entrée soup with home-made bread, a range of 4 main meals including a vegetarian option, salad and mixed vegetables, a selection of desserts and tea or coffee.

BBQs are also an option. BBQ packs, bread & salads can be provided upon request. Self-cook or by our staff.

Dietary requirements are catered for upon request.

Conference Facilities at Binna Burra

Take full advantage of the stillness of the subtropical rainforest and inspire your delegates with enhanced productivity, stronger connectedness between individuals and an overall increased intellectual and group commitment, which a change of scenery and detachment to the external, ‘normal’ world can give. With a rejuvenated perspective watch your delegates move to new levels of thinking. Choose from our conference facilities:

Binna Burra Mountain Lodge

The authentic eco-Lodge is heritage–listed and steeped in history. Established in 1933 the rooms are made from hand-cut tallow-wood slabs and have a charm and character all their own. There are two styles of rooms at the Lodge:

Acacia Rooms are our most exclusive accommodation, offering commanding views of either the Numinbah Valley or the surrounding forest. All rooms include en-suite, balcony with panoramic or rainforest views, mini refrigerator, heaters, fans and tea & coffee making facilities. Choose from rooms with a single, twin or triple bed configuration.

Casuarina Rooms are heritage guesthouse-style rooms, nestled amidst the native gardens. They offer comfortable beds and a vanity unit. Separate bathroom facilities are close to the rooms on the same level and shared by just a small number of guests.

Binna Burra Sky Lodges

The Binna Burra Sky Lodges are our premium accommodation. Opened in 2012, they are a modern facility, luxuriously appointed, complete with spa baths, fireplaces & flat screen televisions.

The Sky Lodges come in studio (spacious hotel style) apartments as well as two bedroom apartments with the latter featuring their own lounge rooms and generous balconies. Most conference groups will be allocated a mixture of both room types. All bedrooms have their own ensuite bathroom and are available in king or twin bed configurations allowing you to choose either single or dual occupancy depending upon your requirements. Conference apartments are serviced daily.

Our Sky Lodges boast the ultimate views at Binna Burra looking along the Numinbah Valley to the east and Coomera Valley to the west. Wake up and look out your bedroom window to watch the early morning mist rising up from the valleys - simply one of life's magical moments.

Grooms Cottage

This picturesque timber cottage was once home to Binna Burra co-founder Arthur Groom. The cosy historical building has a fireplace, a kitchenette and sleeps 7 people upstairs. There is an adjoining four-room bunkhouse, which sleeps 36. Separate bathroom facilities have hot showers, toilets and a coin-operated laundry. Basic facilities ideal for groups or for those on a tight budget.

Rainforest Campsite

Conference Group Activities

Give your team the winning edge with our customised Teambuilding Program. Hire a guide to organise your team building activities. The highlights of the program are the guided rainforest activities, our high and low ropes course, rogaining (adventure racing) and outdoor initiative activities, abseiling adventures and flying fox (which are sure to challenge even the brave-hearted).

Team Building Options

HIGH ROPES COURSE the High Ropes increases the challenge by elevating the activity 5-7 metres above the ground. There are four elements of varying degrees of difficulty. Each involves ascending a rope ladder and completing a traverse of a cable or ladder between trees. Participants are in a harness and attached to a safety line operated by one of our guides or preferably, two of the other team members. Training is given in the operation of safety ropes.

The High Ropes tests trust between team members as well as the team’s ability to provide moral support and engender enthusiasm. Individuals are challenged to a high degree by the height, and the difficulty of the activity as they demonstrate the trust built in their teammates. This is an excellent activity for groups with physically active people but is also suitable for groups that need to be challenged outside their comfort zone. The time taken will depend on the group size, however allow 2 hours for a group of 15.

ABSEILING is a great personal challenge, an activity that takes participants out of their comfort zone while remaining extremely safe. Abseiling is also a team challenge as it is the support of the team that provides the encouragement that many participants need to succeed. Abseiling is offered on two levels. An introductory level using one of two 10 metre cliffs and an advanced level using the 40 or 90 metre Bellbird Lookout cliff. For the advanced cliffs it is necessary to do the introductory level first. How long it takes depends on the size of the group, however at least 2 hours is required for the practice session and another 3 hours for the big abseil.

FLYING FOX Situated 15 minutes walk from the Lodge in Bellbird Clearing our 165 metre long Flying Fox is an exhilarating and challenging experience. All flyers are securely and safely harnessed to a pulley system and descend at the end via a 5-metre abseil using a Petzl Decender which is easy to use. Our instructors are responsible for attaching flyers to the pulley but the descending and subsequent returning of the pulley requires teamwork. It is possible to introduce other challenges on the flying fox including blindfolds, night flying and the incorporation of it as part of a circuit of initiative games.

Strategic Team Building

LOW ROPES COURSE this circuit of challenges involving cables, ropes, ladders and swinging logs, provides not only a test of balance and co-ordination for individuals but also a test of communication skills and trust for teams. As all components are close to the ground it may seem simple but it is challenging and has rewarding group social cohesion outcomes. Variations on the Low Ropes include an excellent team game we call “Mohawk Walk”. This initiative game requires the team to negotiate a triangle of wires between trees using only themselves and three trees for support. Teamwork of the highest quality is required to successfully complete this exercise. 2 hours for the activity including Mohawk Walk.

ROGAINING “Cunning Running” – this popular adventure sport tests group’s ability to make decisions and negotiate differences of opinions and utilise various group strengths. The challenge involves reading a detailed map of the Binna Burra area with the aim of finding a route around the tracks to locate markers in the most efficient and fastest way possible. Variations on our Rogaine Course can include initiative games and other incidents en route. One advantage of rogaining is that participants remain on the ground and the ability to walk is the only pre-requisite.

INITIATIVE GAMES these games vary according to the needs of the group. The objective of all of these initiative games is to test a group’s ability to respond to the challenge of a problem that is completely removed from the normal tasks in their workplace. Most are not threatening in a physical sense and are therefore suitable for all groups. These games are presented individually or as part of a more complex scenario involving orienteering, bushwalking, or a series of initiative games. The range of initiative games is endless but the following are a sample of some of the popular ones:

• Billy on a Pinnacle - A more complex game involving decision-making by the whole team and careful co-ordination to achieve the objective.
• The Canyon Bridge - A deceptively simple looking task involving using four planks to span an imaginary gap. A real lateral thinking game.
• Islands - The team must traverse a stream of acid using only acid proof mats. This requires careful planning, co-ordination and perseverance. There are many variations on this exercise.
• Blind Leading the Blind - A great test of verbal communication skills, this exercise involves team members guiding “blind” colleagues through a maze of obstacles.

There are many more initiative games that can be presented. Each program needs to be customised for each group depending on the group’s specific requirements.

ICE BREAKERS these are short activities designed to get teams feeling comfortable together. These include trust games such as trust falls and trust runs. It is a good idea to include some short trust activities at the beginning of a program.

WILD WALKS - get off the beaten track!

Two-day challenges for those looking for something different, some requiring extreme fitness.

Day one: An introduction to abseiling, with a 10m & 40m abseil.
Day two: ’Go bush’ with our guided off-track wild walk.

MIDDLE RIDGE TRAVERSE Get off the beaten track and explore the lesser travelled side of Lamington National Park. This adventurous one day trek will lead you into the areas that few people experience.

SPLIT ROCK Start the day with the Split Rock walk which is a short, sharp, historic walk that leads to a rarely visited lookout over the Coomera Valley. Experience how our pioneers travelled through this rugged country. An awesome hike. Relax in the evening with a glass of beer or wine and canapés in the library and a 3 course dinner to follow.

BUSH RANGER’S CAVE Heading off-track down to the spur of the South-East corner of the Park, we will then pass through a range of majestic forests and breathtaking cliffs to the archaeological marvel that is Bush Rangers Cave.

Here’s what some of our past clients have said about Binna Burra:

Laing O’Rourke Australia

Over the past 2 years Laing O’Rourke (Global Construction company) has enjoyed the friendly hospitality and magnificent surrounds of the beautiful Lamington National Park and in particular the iconic mountain accommodation of Binna Burra Mountain Lodge and Campsite.

Approximately 100 staff have visited the lodge staying 2 to 3 days each time to be challenged both mentally and physically to scale their way to leadership excellence.

“Binna Burra has proved to be the perfect location for the delivery of our leadership development programs”, stated John Wood, People Development Manager for Laing O’Rourke Australia.

“We have a very strong branding around our Leadership Development framework and it’s all about mountaineering. So when it came to finding a suitable ‘mountain’ venue which was conveniently located to both Brisbane and Gold Coast and the corresponding airports we had to look no further than Binna Burra.”

“Being able to take our employees away from their busy, noisy and typically urban environments, which construction is renowned for, and place them in an environment such as Binna Burra is a rare treat. The great features of the Lodge apart from the obvious (the location) is the easy going and very resourceful staff and the extra-curricula activities to tap into. All our programs have a great deal of experiential learning built in and being able to use the Flying Fox, High Ropes, Abseiling, etc… is fantastic to stimulate the creative thinking and problem solving abilities of the participants.

The accommodation is more than sufficient with a diverse range of options to suit any budget. The conference rooms are also perfect for meeting our needs. We don’t need nor do we want the typical ‘sterile’ option which is the norm for nearly all conference facilities so being able to run workshops in the old Barn or the Pottery Shed or Library reinforces the innovative approach we are teaching in the programs. It’s amazing how an open fire can be a source great reflection and relaxation especially when it forms part of your training room.

Best of all is the relaxed, flexible and resourceful staff. No problem, no matter how weird or wonderful it is, is ever too hard for the Binna Burra crew to solve. Sure you may need to be a bit flexible on your end but isn’t that just life, it’s certainly what our leadership teachings is all about.

Binna Burra, it’s got it all and more!

Silver Chef Limited

We loved it. What a superb venue you guys have there.

Apparently it was our best one yet! Loved the activities, location, accommodation, food, drinks, everything.

Noeline was an absolute pleasure to work with and I know she went above and beyond what is required of her, she is so thorough and organised and nothing was too much trouble for her, and any request I had for her was done in a prompt manner and a “no problem” I will just do that now, go and get that now, let them know etc – she is just a superstar.

And massive compliments to the rest of your team – Dean, Luke, Damien, Katie, Morgan, Erin & Debbi (was that the lady on the bar that looked after us? If not that is who I mean – sorry lots of names to remember) – from the guides introducing themselves at dinner the night before, having a chat, sitting with us at Breakfast on Friday morning, telling us about Binna Burra and the area, showing interest in who they spoke to, the can do attitude they showed to see to anything we requested, the friendly, fabulous attitude of all of them is a credit to your business.

You should be very proud. They were all big contributors to my conference being so successful and running as smoothly as it did. So kudos to them – they all rock! And more importantly they are the sort of people that should be in Hospitality – as they continually showed and demonstrated it all weekend! (not so common in the industry these days).

Please pass on my most sincere thanks to them all (and if I have left any names off – please add them because there is not one person that I encountered that this isn’t directed at).

Thanks for checking up on us on Friday and for the follow up – you deserve a big thankyou as well.

Kindest regards

Simone

Simone Smith-Henry | Project Manager | Silver Chef Limited

Michael Groom, professional speaker and mountain climber, is unquestionably one of the world’s greatest 'big' mountain climbers. In 1995 he became the fourth person in the world to climb the four highest mountains without the assistance of bottled oxygen. In 1999 he successfully climbed Makalu, the smallest and for Michael, the last of the 'big five' - the five highest mountains in the world. Makalu, Lhotse, Kangchenjunga, K2 and Everest—Michael climbed them all without the assistance of bottled oxygen, and all but Kangchenjunga he climbed without the front third of both feet.

Michael is one of Australia’s most popular keynote speakers and has been a professional speaker since 1991. He motivates soldiers going off to war zones, athletes struggling to come back from serious injury, professional people keen to get a little closer to the truth of ‘‘no pain no gain’’, and ordinary folk who just love to listen to one of Australia’s most amazing human endeavor stories. His presentation, accompanied with impossibly beautiful visuals, is to see the earth in its most natural and rawest form - the way the earth was meant to be.

Michael is the grandson of Arthur Groom - co-founder of Binna Burra Lodge.

Dan the Magic man Dan has been entertaining audiences of all ages for more than 15 years. His extensive experience and phenomenal love of people and entertaining is YOUR guarantee that your guests will love his high-energy magic show. Magic Dan will customize his presentation specifically for your event, and help you determine the most effective type of performance for your party or celebration.

This is a parlour style show where Dan performs to the entire group at the one time. He combines magic, comedy and audience participation. This style of magic is best described as a “mini stage show”. It is ideal for groups of up to sixty people either standing or seated theatre style. As he is only performing to the one audience you receive the advantage of viewing a lot more tricks during the allocated performance time. This style of magic allows great interaction, as the spectators become part of the act.

Group Meditation with Luna Wood ‘Connection to Rainforest Dreaming’ - Reconnect with your Heart and Self in the Seasonal Dreamings of where you walk, through a transformational journey of self-exploration. Luna anoints and enlightens. By exploring and sharing a new language of the body, remembering respect and connection, merging ancient practice within a contemporary arena, and by holding open a space to the Sacred Beauty of life, Luna allows you to remember who you are. Be touched by Beauty and the magnificence of Heart in Country.

Barbershop Quartets A unique way of entertaining your groups over dinner with requests sung to order. Choose from two groups based in S/E Queensland, these boys will keep you entertained.